2006 CHIO Aachen

Rodrigo Pessoa wins Rolex Best of Champions
No change of horses this time due to the weather conditions

Aachen press release - posted May 20, 2006

The well-being of the horses always takes priority: After prior consultation with the Sponsor Rolex and the riders, the tournament management of the CHIO decided, as an exception to the rule, to change the format of one of the most exciting competitions at the World Equestrian Festival - the Rolex Best of Champions. The "blame" for this was attributed to the sudden gale storms accompanied by heavy rainfall that lead to the sports agenda being interrupted. The participants had to take a half an hour break. The Rolex Best of Champions competition was temporarily delayed.

The special charm of the Rolex Best of Champions competition lies in the world-class field of participants (the Olympic gold medallist, World and European Champions plus the previous year winner of the Grand Prix of Aachen) and in the fact that the riders have to change horses. First of all the four top riders have to jump the course with their own horse and then with the horses of the other competitors. However, in view of the unstable weather conditions, the tournament management decided to shorten the format of the competition by striking the change of horses. Instead the champions, Olympic gold medallist, Rodrigo Pessoa (Brazil); World Champion, Dermott Lennon (Ireland); European Champion, Marco Kutscher (Germany) and the winner of last year's Grand Prix of Aachen 2005, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, only rode their own horses in two rounds, whereby the total faults and the time taken in the second round decided the ranking.

Rodrigo Pessoa, who had saddled the 11-year-old Holstein mare, Cantate Z by Cantus accomplished the task with the best overall result, collecting no faults in a time of 45.64 seconds, followed by Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum with the Holstein mare, Sansierra by Stauffenberg (51.51), who also rode two clear rounds. Marco Kutscher with the Holstein Carthago son, Cash, took third position with four faults in 46.94 seconds. Dermott Lennon, who had saddled the French stallion, Exploit du Roulard finished fourth (12/63.46).

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